Planoaraptl co



E. SCHNEIDER.

TRAIL CARRIAGE FOR GUNS 0F LARGE CALIBE APPLICATION FILED FEB.14, 1918.

Patented July 22, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1 T 7 n K wlhl AlAEWA Tm: coLumulA PLANOGRAPH cm, WASHINGTON, b. c.

E. SCHNEIDER.

TRAlL CARRIAGE FOR GUNS 0F LARGE CALIBER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-14,1918.

Patented July 22, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2 E. SCHNEIDER.

TRAIL CARRIAGE FOR GUNS 0F LARGE CALIBER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I4. 191 8.

Patented July 22, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3 E. SCHNEIDER.

TRAIL CARRIAGE FOR GUNS 0F LARGE CALIBER.

APPLICATION flLED FERN-.1918- I Patented July 22, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4 E. SCHNEIDER.

TRAIL CARRIAGE FOR GUNS 0F LARGE CALIBER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1918.

1,3 1 0,888. Patented July 22, 1919.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5- UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE SCHNEIDER, OF LE CREUZOT, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR T0 SCHNEIDER & 01E, 0}?

PARIS, FRANCE, A LIMITED JOINT STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE.

TRAIL-GARRIAGE FOR GUNS 0]? LARGE CALIBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Application filed February 14, 1918. Serial No. 217,187.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the French Republic, and a resident of Le Creuzot, Saone-et-Loire, France, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Trail-Carriages for Guns of Large Caliber, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention has for its object to provide an improved trail carriage for guns of large caliber adapted to effect the training of the carriage by pivotation about the trail spade.

In an improved gun carriage constructed according to this invention, the carriage trail is composed of caterpillars so arranged as to be capable of being laid out at the firing station in arcs of a circle having the pivot of the trail for its center, so that the training of the gun can then be effected by rolling the caterpillar trucks over the endless chains thus constituted.

An embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in vertical section on the line II of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the line IIII of Fig. 1.

In both these figures the gun is shown in a firing position.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a vertical section on the line IVIV of Fig. 5 and a plan, drawn to a larger scale, of a detail of the mechanism for efiecting the training of the gun carriage by pivotation about the trail spade, and by traveling over the chains laid out in arcs of a circle.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the general arrangement of the gun and its carriage in position for transport.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic plan showing in full lines the gun carriage let down for firing, and in dot and dash lines the caterpillars opened out and thecarriage trail pivoted on a platform provided with stakes located at the desired point.

The gun which may be of any known type comprises in the example shown, a barrel A adapted to recoil in a cradle B, which latter is pivoted by means of trunnions b on a pedestal C. This pedestal C is pivoted according to this invention on a saddle D resting elastically on a structure composed of beams connecting together the trucks of the two caterpillars.

In the example shown, the said structure is composed of two cross members 11, E respectively connecting together the forward trucks, F, G and the hind trucks F G of the two caterpillars. These cross members rest on the trucks by means of spherical joints 1% 9 f 9 The endless chains H and I of the caterpillars are constructed to be capable of being easily opened out upon the ground by the mere withdrawal of joint pins 72,, i, from between two consecutive shoes. These several pins h, i, connect the links of the chains with sufficient play between the parts to permit the chains to be laid in an arc of a circle, as hereinafter described.

When these chains have been undone they are opened out upon the ground as shown in Figs. 3 and 7 along arcs of a circle having for its center the axis of the pivot J of the trail, which latter has been moved 90 degrees out of the position it occupies at the time of the gun arriving at the firing station. This pivot may be carried by a platform N provided with stakes.

In the example shown, the carriage trail is constructed in the usual manner with a forked front portion, the cheeks or limbs K of the fork being jointed at their forward ends on the trunnions Z) of the cradle.

The forward trucks F, F and the hind trucks G, G of the caterpillars are connected respectively together by means of adjustable connections, such as the connecting rods L, M which allow of maintaining the said trucks in exact longitudinal alinement of each other when the caterpillars are assembled for transport, and of causing the said trucks to inclose between them the desired angle for training (Fig. 3) by arranging them-along the chords of the arcs formed by the opened out chains.

It is sufficient if the connecting rods L and M are pierced at one end with two holes, the connecting pin on the truck being located alternately in the nearest hole and in the farthest hole in the ends of the said rods.

The displacement of the gun carriage for training, may be effected by rolling the trucks over the opened out chains by actuating for this purpose a gear, such as that shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5.

The shaft 0 upon which the usual driving wheel 0 is fixed, is adapted to be turned in a horizontal plane for the purpose of operating constantly along a radius of the corresponding rolling track arc. For this pur pose the wheel 0 is mounted in two bearings P, Q, one of which P has on its underside a projecting vertical pivot 1), while the other bearing Q has a projection g movable in a guide R fixed to the truck. This guide is curved to the arc of a circle having for its center the pivot 29. The shaft 0 can therefore be caused to rock on the axle pin p in such a manner as to bring it into a position at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the truck for traveling on a road and for.

locating it in the prolongation of the line J, (Fig. 3) when the caterpillar has been opened out into an arc of a circle for the purpose of training the gun.

Upon the shaft 0 there is mounted a worm wheel S which runs idle during transport, but which can be fixed to its shaft by means of a key 8 for training purposes. This wheel S is actuated by means of a wprm T journaled in bearings Q fixed to the hearing Q, which latter is locked in the proper position, by any suitable means (not shown).

The opened out chains H, I, are preferably locked for firing, to the platform N, for instance by means of tie-rods. These tierods may be ccinstructed of two sections U and U connected together by a turn-buckle V. For transport the sections U are separated and fastened to the platform N in the position indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 3, while the sections U may be fastened, each at one end, to one of the caterpill-ar trucks, and at its other end to the carriage trail (as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 6). This arrangement facilitates traction by means of the limber.

hat I claim is 1. In a trail carriage for guns, the combination with a trail pivotable on the trail spade for training the gun, and caterpillars serving for the transport of the carriage, of means whereby the endless chains of the caterpillars can be opened out flat on the ground in the form of arcs of a circle struck from; the trail spade as a center, whereupon said chains form circular tracks on which the caterpillar truck Wheels can travel in an arc for the purpose of training the gun carriage.

2. In a trail carriage for guns, the combination with a trail pivotable on the trail spade for training the gun, and caterpillars having trucks and serving for the transport of thecarriage, of a gun carriage pedestal, trunnions for carrying the gun barrel, a saddle serving as a turntable for said pedestal, springs earryingsaid' turntable, cross members supportingsaid springs, connecting together the trucks of each caterpillar, and means whereby the endless chains of the caterpillars can be opened out flat on the ground in the form of arcs of a circle struck from the trail spade as a center, whereupon said chains form circular tracks on which the caterpillar truck wheels can travel in an are for the purpose of training the gun car riage.

3. In a trail carriage for guns, the combination with a trail pivota'ble on the trail spade for training the gun, and caterpillars serving for the transport of the carriage, of means whereby the endless chains of the caterpillars can be opened out flat on the ground in the form of arcs of a circle struck from the trail spade as a center, whereupon said chains form circular tracks on which the caterpillar truck wheels can travel in an are for the purpose of training the gun carriage, a driving wheel for each caterpillar, and means for enabling said wheel to trowel automatically in the arc of the circular track constituted by the opened out caterpillar chain.

L. In a trail carriage for guns, the combination with a trail pivotable on the trail spade for training the gun, and caterpillars servingfor the transport of the carriage, of means whereby the endless chains of the caterpillars can be opened. out flat on the ground in the form of arcs of a circle struck from the trail sp a-de as a center, whereupon said chains form circular tracks on which the caterpillar truck wheels can travel in an are for the purpose of training the gun carriage, a platform on which the rear end of the carriage trail is pivoted, and tie-rods connecting said caterpillar chains when opened out, to said platform, each of said tie rods being composed of two sections adjustably connected together by means of a turnbuckle.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE SCHNEIDER;

\Vitnesses ANDRE MOSIICKER, CHAS. P. PRESSLY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

